this paper considers the potential problems that may militate against the adoption of organic poultry production in nigeria. factors identified include: higher risk of diseases like coccidiosis and newcastle disease, disease prevention and control / herd health management, disease containment in times of outbreak, land acquisition (land tenure system), market economies / cost-benefit ratio, pas...

In-feed Antibiotics Conventional poultry farming systems often include subtherapeutic amounts of antibiotics in the feed to prevent disease and improve production performance. In contrast, organic poultry producers can­ not, by law, include antibiotics in the feed. Interestingly, advocates for both organic and conventionally raised poultry have each claimed that the absence or presence of in-fe...

This review paper deals with the major health and welfare aspects of organic poultry production. The differences between organic and conventional egg and poultry meat production are discussed, with the main emphasis on housing and management requirements, feed composition and the use of veterinary prophylactic and therapeutic drugs. The effects of the legislation and statutes for organic farmin...

BACKGROUND In U.S. conventional poultry production, antimicrobials are used for therapeutic, prophylactic, and nontherapeutic purposes. Researchers have shown that this can select for antibiotic-resistant commensal and pathogenic bacteria on poultry farms and in poultry-derived products. However, no U.S. studies have investigated on-farm changes in resistance as conventional poultry farms trans...

Organic poultry production has substantially increased in the last few years. On organic farms, welfare of poultry is enhanced due to enriched housing conditions as access to a free range area. This may reduce feather pecking and keep the health status at least on the same level as on conventional farms. However, welfare of organic poultry may be further improved if: (a) laying hens are already...

Intestinal tracts of broilers and turkeys from 10 conventional broiler farms and 10 conventional turkey farms, where antimicrobials were routinely used, and from 5 organic broiler farms and 5 organic turkey farms, where antimicrobials had never been used, were collected and cultured for Campylobacter species. A total of 694 Campylobacter isolates from the conventional and organic poultry operat...

The development of antibiotic resistant pathogens has resulted from the use of sub-therapeutic concentrations of antibiotics delivered in poultry feed. Furthermore, there are a number of consumer concerns regarding the use of antibiotics in food animals including residue contamination of poultry products and antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens. These issues have resulted in recommendations...

Since intensive poultry production is accompanied by as high as possible densities of birds within buildings, this exposes poultry house workers to elevated concentrations of bioaerosol that is mainly emitted by birds. Exposure to dust containing pathogenic microbial and parasitic agents may cause asthma, asthma-like syndrome, mucous membrane irritation, chronic bronchitis, and allergic alveoli...

The title of the Keynote Symposium at the 2012 Poultry Science Association Meeting at the Georgia Center in Athens, Georgia, was “Tomorrow’s Poultry: Sustainability and Safety.” The purpose of the symposium was to provide members and guests of the Poultry Science Association an opportunity to be updated on the recent developments in enhancing the safety of poultry foods and also to interact wit...